Notch another victory in the win column for New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas.
On the second episode of “Flight 23 Ascension”, a Jets docu-series, that was released on Thursday, May 25 Douglas showed off his crystal ball skills.
During the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, Douglas predicted what would happen ahead of the Jets’ pick before it even occurred.
“Broderick Jones is gonna go at [pick No.] 14. I bet somebody is going to trade up in front of us for Broderick Jones with New England. Pittsburgh.”
That is exactly what transpired. The New England Patriots traded the No. 14 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the No. 17 overall pick and the No. 120 overall pick.
Jets GM Joe Douglas Was One Step Ahead of Patriots HC Bill Belichick
An NFL general manager anonymously told The Washington Post that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick tried to “f*** the Jets” by trading with the Steelers during the first round of April’s draft.
According to the NFL draft value chart, the Steelers should have given up a third-rounder to move up, not a fourth-rounder. However, the Patriots were willing to take less so another team, in theory, could snipe their division rival, the Jets, from taking the player they wanted.
The only problem with that plan is the Jets were prepared for that scenario and fooled the rest of the league.
Rich Cimini of ESPN shared on April 24 that Jones was the “most likely” pick for the Jets in the first round with the No. 13 overall pick.
Although that didn’t appear to be the case. Douglas seemingly revealed the three players they were considering with the No. 15 (following the Aaron Rodgers trade) on Flight 23 Ascension.
Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
Michael Mayer, tight end, Notre Dame
Broderick Jones, offensive lineman, Georgia
According to the scene in the documentary, these three players were ranked in order of how the Jets would have selected them.
One Twitter user responded, “Bill really thought he was pulling a fast one” with a laughing crying emoji.
Another Jets fan took this opportunity to dunk on the Patriots.
“Pea brain Bill Belichick totally shoved it to the Jets, LOL! Joe Douglas knew what that has been was doing, laughed about it and got his guy. Eat dirt loser.”
Analyst Gets Dunked on for Inaccurate Jets Draft Take
In the heat of the moment during April’s draft, the Jets became a punching bag on social media.
It was widely rumored that the Jets were interested in offensive tackle Broderick Jones and it was the worst-kept secret in football. So when they were left at the altar so to speak everyone started making jokes at the Jets’ expense.
Former NFL player and current analyst Ross Rucker let Gang Green have it on Twitter:
“The Jets telling everyone how much they love Broderick Jones. Including [a] pick swap with Packers in Rodgers’ trade so they’re behind division rivals. Allow [the] Steelers to leap them. Reaching for Will McDonald is why they’re the Jets.”
Although the documentary revealed that even if Jones would have been available at pick No. 15, the Jets still would’ve taken McDonald anyway because they had him rated higher.
A Twitter user decided to bring back up that old Tucker tweet. “Narrator: if only Ross had considered the obvious: that [the] Jets were leaking out how much they love Broderick Jones on purpose as a classic draft szn misdirection play.”
A Twitter user provided an “update” on Tucker’s (trash emoji) tweet with a popular GIF saying “wrong” multiple times.